Serra de Malagueta
Serra de Malagueta
4.5
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Maxime B
Haguenau, France43 contributions
Oct 2024 • Couples
Natural park with several hikes possible in the heights or in the valley. We went down the valley because the sky was not clear enough to enjoy the views. Passage through fields and hamlets of farmers to finish the hike along a river and a dam. The downhill hard 2:30 a minimum of physical condition and required as well as good shoe. Also plan something to hydrate yourself. 2€ to pay to enter the park. All explanations are given at the information desk
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Written October 31, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Go270771
2 contributions
Jan 2019 • Friends
Two of us (2 girls) decided to do a trek in Serra de Malagueta. We took an aluger there and were dropped off at the entrance near the main road. At the entrance a man took a fee from us and told that we need to take a guide to cross because it's not safe and we can be attacked. I heard this scam before so we ignored it and started the trek. We soon met 2 men (25/30mins onward). They already knew where we are going and were on the phone.They started to tell us in portugese that we need security that it's not safe. We pretended that we don't understand and carried on. Soon we understood that they use phone system to inform each other about us and our progress. First one to tell about us was the 'guard' at the entrance. These two men told that they will follow us. But we increased the pace and lost them. Afterwards we came across the little house and 4 people we already waiting for us: 2 girls and 2 men. The two girls straight away told us that they will go with us because it's on their way. The other two men stayed near the house. There one girl went in front of us and one kept staying behind us. No matter how much we slowed down and let them overtake us they always came back to the same formation. Soon we understoon it's becoming not safe at all: girls started to pick up the stones and trow them, the other was getting very close to us. We briefly stopped to let them pass and straight after turned back as we decided not to continue any further. On the way back we met one of the men from the house. We could see he was waiting for us and straight away took out the phone and started to shout smthing in portugese. we stopped to let him pass and he ordered us to go and not stop. Around the corner we saw all these 3 men that we met before waiting for us and talking with this 4th man on the phone. They formed this big group and started to speak with us in portugese saying that we need to go, it's late and etc. One asked me money and told smthing about 7000 escudos. We just talked nonsences played dum which confused them and the men briefly stopped to discuss between themselves how to talk with us (either portugese, french or english as we pretended not to understand any). We used the moment to start running back to the main road. We heard they followed for some time, but kept on running and gained a fair amount of distance from them. Eventually we reached the road and the 'guard' was there. We know he knew everything about the incident as he was part of it from the beginning, but he did not even bother to talk with us or ask why we got back while initially we said we will cross to the other side of the valley. Luckily we got aluger very soon and got back home safe to Praia. The moral of the story: DONT GO ALONE OR JUST STAY AWAY UNTIL THEY SORT OUT THIS MESS. We did not encounter a single tourist there on the way to there or back, so you are really on your own. Nothing like that happened to us in any other island, even though we hiked alone or quite late sometimes. Such a shame to ruin the image of otherwise very friendly and beautiful country.
Written January 10, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
xero
Berlin, Germany24 contributions
Oct 2018 • Couples
We did the hike from Serra Malagueta to Achada Monte mid October, the trip was roughly 13km. Looking at some photos of other reviews it seemed we were quite lucky, because everything around us was very green. We got the GPX track from a german web page. The track starts about 300m south of the visitor center. To get there we took an aluguer for 100 CVE from Tarrafal, even though we had a rental car, because the track we chose is a one way track. The aluguers drive all around town to pick up people, some staring at the central plaza. Ask if they go to Serra Malagueta and pick an aluguer that is almost full, or else you will drive around the area for a while until the car is full. The fee to the park is 200 CVE per person. As we arrived a bit early around 7:30, the office was not really open yet (opens at 8am on weekdays as the sign says). Luckily the cleaning ladies helped us and gave us a receipt for the park entrance fee. Anyways the only person we met while we were in the park was a local obliviously returning from a party. First half of our hike was in the official map you can get for free at the visitors center and leading to a telephone tower. The second half was not part of the official maps, as I pointed out before, we found the whole track on a German webpage.
The main route in the park offers breathtaking views of the landscape you won't forget. If you are not lucky and it's just dry without any green I still believe it can be worth to do at least the main park route. The first part of the path is a few meters below the ridge. As we started early, the temperature was still nice. We arrived at the telephone tower around 11am after starting around 8am, but we did quite a few stops for photos etc.
Just before the telephone tower we took the path to the right. Which led us through a dense vegetation. After another ~30mins we left the park and went through farmed land. Soon we saw the first houses and people. At the very end we got accompanied by a bunch of kids returning from school. We went down to the main road at the East coast and caught an aluguer back to Tarrafal for 150 CVE per person.
The main route in the park offers breathtaking views of the landscape you won't forget. If you are not lucky and it's just dry without any green I still believe it can be worth to do at least the main park route. The first part of the path is a few meters below the ridge. As we started early, the temperature was still nice. We arrived at the telephone tower around 11am after starting around 8am, but we did quite a few stops for photos etc.
Just before the telephone tower we took the path to the right. Which led us through a dense vegetation. After another ~30mins we left the park and went through farmed land. Soon we saw the first houses and people. At the very end we got accompanied by a bunch of kids returning from school. We went down to the main road at the East coast and caught an aluguer back to Tarrafal for 150 CVE per person.
Written October 12, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter F
Essen, Germany23 contributions
Dec 2017 • Couples
Great scenery with beautiful mountains and great viewpoints. Take a guide and see some of the hidden places or visit the local mountainpeople.
Written January 14, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fess S
Tucson, AZ384 contributions
Dec 2021
I took a collectivo from Mercado de Sucupira in Praia. I arrived at 6:40 in the morning which was a big mistake. The transport didn't fill until 9:30! I paid 500 for the transport to the entrance of the park and started the hike around 11am. There was nobody there to charge a fee. I use maps.me but even without a map- the path was really easy to follow. I hiked to the radio tower, had lunch and then began the hike to Hortelao. If you are thinking about going to the radio tower and back- highly recommend continuing down to Hortelao as that portion of the hike was way better in my opinion. When I got to Hortelao there was no transport available so I started walking. After 15 minutes a truck gave me a hitch- otherwise the road is about 5 kilometers until the main junction. Here transport was waiting for I think 150 to take you to Tarrafal where I arrived at 16:00 and I slept. I didn't bring a jacket, just shorts and t-shirt.
Written December 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Martin_boc
Madrid, Spain61 contributions
Nov 2019
This hike is a must while visiting the island of Santiago, at least the first part until the radio tower. This first segment is well marked and has some impressive views that make it definitely worth it. We barely saw anybody else in the trail but we felt safe and very connected to the trail.
Written November 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cmannva
172 contributions
Jan 2019 • Couples
Just returned from an amazing hike down the XaXa and Gongon valleys. Highly recommend to walk down to Hortela (and onwards to Porto Formoso). Take an Aluguer to the Visitor center and follow the road to the radio tower. From there onwards you have several options (see photo). Prepare yourself beforehand and mark your route on Google maps. Otherwise changes are high you get lost on the various trails! There are no markings along the routes. To the recent reports of locals harassing tourists: the police was patrolling the road until the radio tower the day we hiked. I advice to tell the people at the visitor center and entrance gate that you only walk til the tower and then back. Doing so you avoid being forced to take a guide. In case you are on the island when vegatation is lush I even recommend to take a guide as the trails will be barely visible. Locals along the trail were super friendly. Take enough water (at least 2l per person) cause until Hortela (4-5h) there is no possibility to buy any food or water. Enjoy the awesome nature!
Written January 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lili S
Luxembourg1 contribution
Jan 2019
We hiked for about 11km from the entrance of the national park to Hortelau. We came from Praia with a collective taxi, then after the hike took a transport to Tarrafal.
It's a lovely walk, with nice views and some small villages on the way. We met some local people, they were all helpful. Except some ranger, who tried convincing us there are robbers on the trails and we could be in grave danger if we don't take him as a guide! No such thing happened and I'm glad we hiked on our own.
We didn't have a map just a photo of the plan that was there at the beginning of the walk, we took the leftmost route.
It's a lovely walk, with nice views and some small villages on the way. We met some local people, they were all helpful. Except some ranger, who tried convincing us there are robbers on the trails and we could be in grave danger if we don't take him as a guide! No such thing happened and I'm glad we hiked on our own.
We didn't have a map just a photo of the plan that was there at the beginning of the walk, we took the leftmost route.
Written January 9, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jo Dejonckheere
Leuven, Belgium110 contributions
Feb 2017 • Couples
if you want to experience the Serra Malagueta on a short (5-6 km) and rather easy walk, just do the Cural de Asno. It follows a plateau, then descends into a ribeira, bringing you close to some old houses, and giving beautiful views of the hills of the Serra.
Written March 18, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pierre W
Brussels, Belgium23,492 contributions
Nov 2016 • Solo
Santiago does not compare to worldclass Santo Antao for hiking, but Serra Malagueta has some good trails. It is on the main road through the island, so you can easily come with a public aluguer, and then return or continue with another one after your walk.
Small unmarked paths here (even through some were once major trails), unlike the well built paved trails on Santo Antao.
You get a free map from the visitor center.
The blue loop through Achada Lagoa and Lagoa, traditional mostly abandonned villages, is very nice.
Otherwise, take the track on the ridge until it ends at the large antenna, then continue down to Hortelao by the beautiful Gongon trail, also through remote hamlets. There are 3 options on the map, i took the leftmost one. Beware two trail junctions near the top are not obvious. In Hortelao, you can find further transport to Tarrafal.
Small unmarked paths here (even through some were once major trails), unlike the well built paved trails on Santo Antao.
You get a free map from the visitor center.
The blue loop through Achada Lagoa and Lagoa, traditional mostly abandonned villages, is very nice.
Otherwise, take the track on the ridge until it ends at the large antenna, then continue down to Hortelao by the beautiful Gongon trail, also through remote hamlets. There are 3 options on the map, i took the leftmost one. Beware two trail junctions near the top are not obvious. In Hortelao, you can find further transport to Tarrafal.
Written November 16, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bonjour,
Nous partons mon conjoint et moi même au cap vert en décembre. Faut il forcément un guide pour randonner à Serra Malaguetta ou les parcours son t-ils bien fléchés?
Written November 27, 2020
Hello,
I and my husband are going to visit Santiago next week and we are looking forward to hiking there. But I have to say, there's very little information in the internet and I am looking for some answers to my questions:
1. Do we need a guide or can we do it alone? I read in some forums that having a guide is better for safety purposes?
2. If so, how can we get a guide? Is there an agent for tour guides and do we have to make advance arrangement with them? Is there a good recommendation for a guide?
3. From some of the description I read on the net, the hike starts from above and we will hike downwards. Is it possible to hike from below and then upwards?
Any advice would certainly be appreciated. Thank you!
Written April 11, 2018
You can visit Facebook page, discover Santiago Island, will find great guide
Written February 3, 2019
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